These days Justin Trudeau doesn’t seem to have any trouble attracting a crowd.

But in Okotoks, Alberta? In the deep core of Conservatism?

Okotoks is in a federal constituency where the Liberals ran fourth — after the Greens and the NDP — during the last election. This is where the leader of the provincial Wild Rose Party, Danielle Smith, was elected.

You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who has a good word to say about Pierre Trudeau and his National Energy Program.

But believe it or not the younger Trudeau did attract a sizeable crowd — given the odds that he was up against — in this thriving town of 25,000 about 30 kilometres south of Calgary. About 250 people crammed into a room at a sports complex last week and stood for an hour and half. They listened intently as he spoke about everything from the Keystone XL Pipeline to immigration policy and they applauded often.

There was no heckling. And when he opened the floor to questions they posed some tough ones; but he was buoyant and smooth so he got even more applause. The audience would have kept him there all night but after about a dozen questions he called it quits so he could mingle and have his photo taken with star-struck fans.

Of course a lot of these people were committed Liberals (there are still some in Alberta). But there were others who wanted to see the young Trudeau for themselves.

Norbert Selbstaedt came with his 17-year-old daughter Natasha. He voted Conservative last time around but now he’s disenchanted with Stephen Harper.

“When Harper prorogued Parliament that did it for me,” Selbstaedt said. “But I didn’t know who to support until Justin came along. He’s got charisma, he’s new blood, and hope.”

Natasha isn’t of voting age yet but she will be by the time the next federal election comes along and she’s pretty sure she’ll vote for Justin and the Liberals.

Sean Mailey was the only person in the room wearing a suit and tie. A young man who has lived in Okotoks for about 12 years, he told me that he is so apolitical that he doesn’t usually vote.

“I didn’t know what to expect,” he said. “But I was impressed. I like his stand on education. I will definitely be following up.”

Steve Williams of Calgary said he once shook Pierre Trudeau’s hand, voted for Peter Lougheed several times, and once for Preston Manning: “Justin makes me smile, he represents hope,” he said. His wife Deva agreed: “Justin’s fighting for Canada.”

Other people also spoke of how Trudeau evoked “hope” because he is young and will attract young people into politics.

Liberal organizers were a bit stunned by the turnout and support. No doubt they feared either no one would show up or those that did would simply heckle.

The Liberals organized the Okotoks event to draw attention to an upcoming election. The Conservative MP for the area, Ted Menzies, stepped down in October. A date has not been set for a vote but the Conservatives already have a crowded slate for a candidate nomination meeting.

So far there is no Liberal candidate in sight. And you would have to be smoking some of the stuff that Justin wants to decriminalize if you believe that the Liberals have any chance of taking this constituency.

But somehow the odds against a Liberal victory in this constituency didn’t seem to matter to the people in that room at the Okotoks sports complex. They were excited. They came to see someone who had star power … even if he was a Trudeau. And they didn’t leave disappointed. If anything, they seemed inspired as they headed out into the dark, cold night.

“This is the greatest thing that ever happened in Okotoks,” said Boni Rowlyk, a long-time Liberal and resident of the town.

For a brief moment it seems, the few Liberals in town didn’t feel as lonely as they usually do.

Gillian Steward is a Calgary writer and journalist and former managing editor of the Calgary Herald. Her column usually appears on every other Tuesday.

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